Shloka 8

Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)

Devanagari script

एतत्‌ प्राप्तमहं मन्ये कार्यमात्ययिकं हि नः । राष्ट्र तस्याभियास्यामो बहुधान्यसमाकुलम्‌

Transliteration

etat prāptam ahaṃ manye kāryam ātyayikaṃ hi naḥ | rāṣṭra tasya abhiyāsyāmo bahudhānya-samākulam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Ich meine, die Stunde zum Handeln ist gekommen, denn dies ist eine dringliche Pflicht für uns. Lasst uns nun in sein Reich einmarschieren—reich und angefüllt mit reichlicher Getreidefülle.“

Word by Word

एतत्this (thing)

प्राप्तम्arrived/come to pass

अहम्I

मन्येI think/consider

कार्यम्a task; what is to be done

आत्ययिकम्urgent; pressing

हिindeed/for

नःfor us / of us

राष्ट्रम्the kingdom/realm

तस्यof him/that

अभियास्यामःwe shall go against/attack; we shall approach

बहुधान्यसमाकुलम्abounding in much grain; full of plentiful crops

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of timely action: when a duty becomes urgent, hesitation is treated as a failure of responsibility. It frames decision-making in terms of kārya (what must be done) and ātyayika (immediacy), emphasizing resolve and readiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker signals that circumstances have ripened for immediate action and proposes advancing into another ruler’s territory, described as plentiful in grain—suggesting a strategic move aimed at resources and advantage in an unfolding conflict.